Ross Denton

Contact

• workRoom A 10 GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory
  Jubilee Campus
  Wollaton Road
  Nottingham
  NG8 1BB
  UK
• ross.denton@nottingham.ac.uk
• http://dentonchemistry.com

Biography

Ross began his research career here at Nottingham where he carried out his PhD studies with Professor J.C. Anderson (2001-2004). At the beginning of 2005 he moved to the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA to carry out postdoctoral research with Professor K.C. Nicolaou. In mid 2007 he returned to the UK to take up a further postdoctoral position with Professor S.V. Ley CBE, FRS at Cambridge.

Ross returned to The University of Nottingham to begin his independent research career as a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry (fixed-term) in September 2008. In June 2009 he was appointed to a permanent lectureship. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016 and to Professor in 2020. He was the recipient of the 2019 SCI Organic Process Chemistry Prize and the 2020 Royal Society of Chemistry Bader Prize.

Ross' research group is based in the GlaxoSmithKline Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry and his research team focus on the design and development of new catalysis and synthesis methods.

Ross is the Deputy Head of the Synthesis and Catalysis Research Theme, the leader of the MiSynth CDT Research Theme and the Postgraduate Admissions Tutor for the School of Chemistry.

For more details about Ross' research group please visit his personal webpages: http://dentonchemistry.com/

Research Summary

Our research involves the design and development of new reactions, synthesis methods, and catalysts that allow us (and others) to make valuable small organic molecules such as natural products and… read more

Recent Publications

• BEDDOE, RHYDIAN H., EDWARDS, DANIEL C., GOODMAN, LOUIS, SNEDDON, HELEN F. and DENTON, ROSS M., 2020. Synthesis of 18O-labelled alcohols from unlabelled alcohols CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 56(48), 6480-6483
• JORDAN, ANDREW, DENTON, ROSS M and SNEDDON, HELEN F, 2020. Development of a More Sustainable Appel Reaction Figshare.
• BEDDOE, RHYDIAN H., ANDREWS, KEITH G., MAGNE, VALENTIN, CUTHBERTSON, JAMES D., SASKA, JAN, SHANNON-LITTLE, ANDREW L., SHANAHAN, STEPHEN E., SNEDDON, HELEN F. and DENTON, ROSS M., 2019. Redox-neutral organocatalytic Mitsunobu reactions SCIENCE. 365(6456), 910-+
• BEDDOE, RHYDIAN, SNEDDON, HELEN and DENTON, ROSS, 2019. Oxygen-18 enrichment of alcohols by a modified Mitsunobu esterification reaction ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 257,

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Current Research

Our research involves the design and development of new reactions, synthesis methods, and catalysts that allow us (and others) to make valuable small organic molecules such as natural products and pharmaceuticals more efficiently and sustainably. This activity is underpinned by a core interest in organophosphorus and organosilicon chemistry.

At present we have projects running on amination reactions, amidation reactions, novel bioisosteres and building blocks for drug discovery, fluorination chemistry, alcohol activation and total synthesis.

• BEDDOE, RHYDIAN H., EDWARDS, DANIEL C., GOODMAN, LOUIS, SNEDDON, HELEN F. and DENTON, ROSS M., 2020. Synthesis of 18O-labelled alcohols from unlabelled alcohols CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 56(48), 6480-6483
• JORDAN, ANDREW, DENTON, ROSS M and SNEDDON, HELEN F, 2020. Development of a More Sustainable Appel Reaction Figshare.
• BEDDOE, RHYDIAN H., ANDREWS, KEITH G., MAGNE, VALENTIN, CUTHBERTSON, JAMES D., SASKA, JAN, SHANNON-LITTLE, ANDREW L., SHANAHAN, STEPHEN E., SNEDDON, HELEN F. and DENTON, ROSS M., 2019. Redox-neutral organocatalytic Mitsunobu reactions SCIENCE. 365(6456), 910-+
• BEDDOE, RHYDIAN, SNEDDON, HELEN and DENTON, ROSS, 2019. Oxygen-18 enrichment of alcohols by a modified Mitsunobu esterification reaction ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 257,
• BEDDOE, RHYDIAN H., SNEDDON, HELEN F. and DENTON, ROSS M., 2018. The catalytic Mitsunobu reaction: a critical analysis of the current state-of-the-art ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY. 16(42), 7774-7781
• ANDREWS, KEITH G., FAIZOVA, RADMILA and DENTON, ROSS M., 2017. A practical and catalyst-free trifluoroethylation reaction of amines using trifluoroacetic acid NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 8,
• ANDREWS, KEITH G and DENTON, ROSS M, 2017. A more critical role for silicon in the catalytic Staudinger amidation: silanes as non-innocent reductants. Chemical communications (Cambridge, England).
• ANDREWS, KEITH G. and DENTON, ROSS M., 2017. A more critical role for silicon in the catalytic Staudinger amidation: silanes as non-innocent reductants CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 53(57), 7982-7985
• ANDREWS, KEITH G., SUMMERS, DECLAN M., DONNELLY, LIAM J. and DENTON, ROSS M., 2016. Catalytic reductive N-alkylation of amines using carboxylic acids CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 52(9), 1855-1858
• SASKA, J., LEWIS, W., PATON, R. S. and DENTON, R. M., 2016. Synthesis of malhamensilipin A exploiting iterative epoxidation/chlorination: experimental and computational analysis of epoxide-derived chloronium ions Chemical Science. 7(12), 7040-7049
• SASKA, J., LEWIS, W., PATON, R. S. and DENTON, R. M., 2016. Synthesis of malhamensilipin A exploiting iterative epoxidation/chlorination: experimental and computational analysis of epoxide-derived chloronium ions CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 7(12), 7040-7049
• FEARNLEY, A. F., AN, J., JACKSON, M., LINDOVSKA, P. and DENTON, R. M., 2016. Synthesis of quaternary aryl phosphonium salts: photoredox-mediated phosphine arylation CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 52(28), 4987-4990
• TANG, XIAOPING, AN, JIE and DENTON, ROSS M., 2014. A procedure for Appel halogenations and dehydrations using a polystyrene supported phosphine oxide TETRAHEDRON LETTERS. 55(4), 799-802
• AN, JIE, DENTON, ROSS M., LAMBERT, TRISTAN H. and NACSA, ERIC D., 2014. The development of catalytic nucleophilic substitution reactions: challenges, progress and future directions ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY. 12(19), 2993-3003
• TANG, XIAOPING, CHAPMAN, CHARLOTTE, WHITING, MATTHEW and DENTON, ROSS, 2014. Development of a redox-free Mitsunobu reaction exploiting phosphine oxides as precursors to dioxyphosphoranes CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 50(55), 7340-7343
• AN, JIE, TANG, XIAOPING, MOORE, JOSHUA, LEWIS, WILLIAM and DENTON, ROSS M., 2013. Phosphorus(V)-catalyzed deoxydichlorination reactions of aldehydes TETRAHEDRON. 69(41), 8769-8776
• JIE AN and ROSS DENTON, 2013. Heteroatom Methods 109, 167-188
• AN, JIE and DENTON, ROSS M., 2013. Heteroatom methods ANNUAL REPORTS ON THE PROGRESS OF CHEMISTRY, SECTION B: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, VOL 109. 109, 167-188
• DENTON, R.M. and SCRAGG, J.T., 2012. A strategy for the synthesis of the fargenone/fargenin family of natural products: synthesis of the tricyclic core Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. 10(29), 5629-5635
• DENTON, ROSS M. and SCRAGG, JAMES T., 2012. A strategy for the synthesis of the fargenone/fargenin family of natural products: synthesis of the tricyclic core ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY. 10(29), 5629-5635
• DENTON, R.M., AN, J., ADENIRAN, B., BLAKE, A.J., LEWIS, W. and POULTON, A.M., 2011. Catalytic phosphorus(V)-mediated nucleophilic substitution reactions: development of a catalytic Appel reaction Journal of Organic Chemistry. 76(16), 6749-6767
• DENTON, RM, SCRAGG, JT and SASKA, J, 2011. A Concise Synthesis Of 4 '-O-Methyl Honokiol Tetrahedron Letters. 52(20), 2554-2556
• LUPO, G, GESTRI, G, O'BRIEN, M, DENTON, RM, CHANDRARATNA, RAS, LEY, SV, HARRIS, WA and WILSON, SW, 2011. Retinoic Acid Receptor Signaling Regulates Choroid Fissure Closure Through Independent Mechanisms In The Ventral Optic Cup And Periocular Mesenchyme Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America. 108(21), 8698-8703
• DENTON, R.M., SCRAGG, J.T., GALOFRÉ, A.M., GUI, X. and LEWIS, W., 2010. A concise synthesis of honokiol Tetrahedron. 66(40), 8029-8035
• DENTON, R.M., TANG, X. and PRZESLAK, A., 2010. Catalysis of phosphorus(V)-mediated transformations: dichlorination reactions of epoxides under Appel conditions Organic Letters. 12(20), 4678-4681
• DENTON, R.M., AN, J. and ADENIRAN, B., 2010. Phosphine oxide-catalysed chlorination reactions of alcohols under Appel conditions Chemical Communications. 46(17), 3025-3027
• DENTON, RM and SCRAGG, JT, 2010. A Concise Synthesis Of Dunnianol Synlett. 633-635
• NICOLAOU, K.C., STEPAN, A.F., LISTER, T., LI, A., MONTERO, A., TRIA, G.S., TURNER, C.I., TANG, Y., WANG, J. and DENTON, R.M., 2008. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Platensimycin Analogues with Varying Degrees of Molecular Complexity J. Am. Chem. Soc. VOL 130(NUMB 39), 13110-13119
• NICOLAOU, K.C., FREDERICK, M.O., BURTOLOSO, A.C.B., DENTON, R.M., RIVAS, F., COLE, K.P., AVERSA, R.J., GIBE, R., UMEZAWA, T. and SUZUKI, T., 2008. Chemical Synthesis of the GHIJKLMNO Ring System of Maitotoxin J. Am. Chem. Soc.. VOL 130(NUMB 23), 7466-7476
• MUNDAY, R.H., DENTON, R.M. and ANDERSON, J.C., 2008. Asymmetric Synthesis of 6'-Hydroxyarenarol: The Proposed Biosynthetic Precursor to Popolohuanone E J. Org. Chem.. VOL 73(NUMB 20), 8033-8038
• LEY, STEVEN V, ABAD-SOMOVILLA, ANTONIO, ANDERSON, JAMES C, AYATS, CARLES, BÄNTELI, ROLF, BECKMANN, EDITH, BOYER, ALISTAIR, BRASCA, MARIA G, BRICE, ABIGAIL, BROUGHTON, HOWARD B, BURKE, BRENDA J and C, 2008. The synthesis of azadirachtin: a potent insect antifeedant. Chemistry - A European Journal. 14(34), 10683-704
• NICOLAOU, K. C., LISTER, T., DENTON, R. M. and GELIN, C. F., 2008. Total synthesis of artochamins F, H, I, and J through cascade reactions Tetrahedron. VOL 64(NUMBER 21), 4736-4757
• LEY, SV, ABAD-SOMOVILLA, A, ANDERSON, JC, AYATS, C, BANTELI, R, BECKMANN, E, BOYER, A, BRASCA, MG, BRICE, A, BROUGHTON, HB, BURKE, BJ, CLEATOR, E, CRAIG, D, DENHOLM, AA, DENTON, RM, DURAND-REVILLE, T, GOBBI, LB, GOBEL, M, GRAY, BL, GROSSMANN, RB, GUTTERIDGE, CE, HAHN, N, HARDING, SL, JENNENS, DC, JENNENS, L, LOVELL, PJ, LOVELL, HJ, DE LA PUENTE, ML, KOLB, HC, KOOT, WJ, MASLEN, SL, MCCUSKER, CF, MATTES, A, PAPE, AR, PINTO, A, SANTAFIANOS, D, SCOTT, JS, SMITH, SC, SOMERS, AQ, SPILLING, CD, STELZER, F, TOOGOOD, PL, TURNER, RM, VEITCH, GE, WOOD, A and ZUMBRUNN, C, 2008. The Synthesis Of Azadirachtin: A Potent Insect Antifeedant Chemistry-A European Journal. 14(34), 10683-10704
• NICOLAOU, K. C., LISTER, T., DENTON, R. M. and GELIN, C. F., 2007. Cascade Reactions Involving Formal [2+2] Thermal Cycloadditions: Total Synthesis of Artochamins F, H, I, and J Angewandte Chemie International Edition. VOL 119(NUMBER 39), 7645-7649
• NICOLAOU, K. C., LISTER, T., DENTON, R. M., MONTERO, A. and EDMONDS, D. J., 2007. Adamantaplatensimycin: A Bioactive Analogue of Platensimycin Angewandte Chemie International Edition. VOL 119(NUMBER 25), 4796-4798
• NICOLAOU, K. C., COLE, K. P., FREDERICK, M. O., AVERSA, R. J. and DENTON, R. M., 2007. Chemical Synthesis of the GHIJK Ring System and Further Experimental Support for the Originally Assigned Structure of Maitotoxin Angewandte Chemie International Edition. VOL 119(NUMBER 46), 9031-9035
• NICOLAOU, K.C., ORTIZ, A. and DENTON, R.M., 2007. Metathesis reactions in the synthesis of complex molecules Chemica Oggi. VOL 25(NUMB 5), 70-77
• NICOLAOU, KC, ORTIZ, A and DENTON, RM, 2007. Metathesis Reactions In The Synthesis Of Complex Molecules Chimica Oggi-Chemistry Today. 25(5), 70-76
• NICOLAOU, KC, COLE, KP, FREDERICK, MO, AVERSA, RJ and DENTON, RM, 2007. Chemical Synthesis Of The Ghijk Ring System And Further Experimental Support For The Originally Assigned Structure Of Maitotoxin Angewandte Chemie-International Edition. 46(46), 8875-8879
• NICOLAOU, KC, LISTER, T, DENTON, RM and GELIN, CF, 2007. Cascade Reactions Involving Formal [2+2] Thermal Cycloadditions: Total Synthesis Of Artochamins F, H, I, And J Angewandte Chemie-International Edition. 46(39), 7501-7505
• NICOLAOU, KC, LISTER, T, DENTON, RM, MONTERO, A and EDMONDS, DJ, 2007. Adamantaplatensimycin: A Bioactive Analogue Of Platensimycin Angewandte Chemie-International Edition. 46(25), 4712-4714
• NICOLAOU, K. C., DENTON, R. M., LENZEN, A., EDMONDS, D. J., LI, A., MILBURN, R. R. and HARRISON, S. T., 2006. Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Model Core Systems of Lomaiviticins A and B Angewandte Chemie International Edition. VOL 118(NUMBER 13), 2130-2135
• NICOLAOU, KC, DENTON, RM, LENZEN, A, EDMONDS, DJ, LI, A, MILBURN, RR and HARRISON, ST, 2006. Stereocontrolled Synthesis Of Model Core Systems Of Lomaiviticins A And B Angewandte Chemie-International Edition. 45(13), 2076-2081
• ANDERSON, J.C., DENTON, R.M. and WILSON, C., 2005. A biomimetic strategy for the synthesis of the tricyclic dibenzofuran-1,4-dione core of popolohuanone E Organic Letters. 7(1), 123-126
• ANDERSON, JC, DENTON, RM and WILSON, C, 2005. A Biomimetic Strategy For The Synthesis Of The Tricyclic Dibenzofuran-1,4-Dione Core Of Popolohuanone E Organic Letters. 7(1), 123-125
• ANDERSON, J. C., DENTON, R. M., HICKIN, H. G. and WILSON, C., 2004. Synthesis of dibenzofuran-1,4-diones using the Dotz benzannulation Tetrahedron. VOL 60(NUMBER 10), 2327-2335